Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-12-01


fact that for the first time in the his
tory of the department II has become
selfsupporting. Gen. Villas in his re-
port will present fgures to substanti-
ate this claim. The success is due to
increase in revenues, not to any de-
crease in expenses OF running the de.
partment, for the expense list Is con-
stantly increased under Mr.. Villas ad-
ministration. Our population is in
cr~asing at the rate of q per cent per
annum, and in a corresponding ratio
the business activities of the country,
which render our postal rates cheap,
avail themselves of mail facilities
more than ever. The sale of postage
stamps last year amounted to Si4, 00O,-
600, and Mr.. Villas thinks will reach
$50, 600, 600 the current year. There
are large firms in New York, Chicago.
st. Louis, and other cities, who sell
directly to customers all over the coun-
try, who now distribute their goods
through the mails instead of the ex-
press as formerly, and this is one of
the important elements in the increase
of revenue of the department. The
The republicans this winter will urge
still lower rate of postage, and thus
bring greater facilities to every home
in the country.
All of the members of the joint
Fish cries Commission are here, and it
is supposed will enter very conscien-
tiously upon the discharge of their du-
ty. Several Senators seriously ques-
ton the authority of the president to
appoint missioners in the absence
of legislation, and have by inplica-
ton raised a very pertinent question
that will somewhat trouble the admin
istration. When President Cleveland
asked for authority, congress re-
fused ii, and then he arched his back
and took the matter into his own
hands under Interpretation of GER
tain clause in the Constitution. That
he has authority to arrange the basis
of treaty is not disputed, but roth
ing in this matter can assume the dig
truy or settIement without direct APP
prevail of the Senate. So after all
this Great Joint Commission may
prove only an investigating committee.
and clerical appendage to the two gov
ernments interested. They can settle
nothing but this fact; to make the
questions involved prominent in the
public mind and prolific of discussion
in Congress.
In less than three weeks Congress
will assemble. 1t is we'll settled that
there will be no opposition in the dem
ocratic caucus to the nomination of
Speaker Carlisle. The republicans
will nominate Reed, of Maine, or Can
non, of Illinois. The committees will
not be announced until after the holi-
DAYS; up to that time the principal in
terest will be in the introduction of
bills and general diminishing. All
concede that this will be an unusually
lively session. Every train brings in
mbers, and there are at least one
hundred and fifty at this writing bear
ing upon their shoulders the weightv
responsibilities of mighty nation, but
the conceit will get knocked out of
many of them before the session clos
es.
The remarkable haste of the presi-
dent in accepting Sparks resignation
looks rather bad for the Land Office
official. Sparks says be has been a
galley slave, and is $4,000 worse off
than when he accepted the position
that he is going to stay here this win
ter, and more than intimates that he
knows lots of secrets that may be
divulged to the amusement and edit.
cation of the public. have not much
of an opinion of Sparks, but possibly
he may know something, and under
his present difficulties he may feel in.
clined to tell the truth.
Gen. Sheridan says in his report
that the army consists of 1900 officers
and "a, 236 men. lie urges the gener
al government to extend all possible
aid to the National Guard of the diff
ferent states, as he considers them a
body of troops that in any great
emergencies would form an important
part of our military force.
The superintendent of the Railway
Mail Service says that during the past
year there were pa derailments OF
wrecks of trains on which postal clerks
were employed, in which three were
killed. fiftee.. seriously, and seventy
two slightly injured. The govern
ment has nail contracts on 116. COZ
miles of railroads.
In the Second Auditors Office there
are over AZ, 600 claims for arrears %
pay, and bounty still awaiting adjudi
cation.
The Clerk of the House of Repre-
sentatives gives an official classified
ton of the members, and shows thai
the House will consist of 16S democrats
t53 republicans, and A independents